Good to know I actually understood the rules correctly. BT rules can be complicated sometimes, and I've only been using the AGOAC rules for now. Thanks for making this.
@@elithradril the AGOAC rulebook has basically every rule you need for full games of BT presented nicely. I’m just using TW for these because it’s supposed to be the ”real” rulebook, everything I talk about here is in the AGOAC book.
the book that comes with, a game of armored combat, has a page showing examples of LoS, and asks you to figure them out, but fails to give you the answers, so you just have to assume you are correct so this video was very helpful
Thanks for this video! I just picked up the AGOAC box at my local game store (for 50% off) and I got the alpha strike box on sale, but I like the idea of playing alpha strike on the hex maps and this was a great way for me to wrap my head around LOS.
this is a very good and reasonably comprehensive video. Within the scope of the video the only thing that I would have added would be examples of partial cover/woods for mechs against vehicles/infantry that are on 1 level higher than the elevation the mech is standing on. The mech would still get partial cover because while the vehicle/infantry is on ground 1 level higher it is still at "head" height of the mech therefore partial cover or woods still apply. A video about LOS near or on the edge of terrain would be a good companion piece to this one.
The rules are really straightforward, it's just that Total War is a terrible rulebook. The easy version is "calculate line of sight as if both units were on the higher elevation, but use the lower unit's elevation when calculating obstacles in hexes around it" Another issue is that elevations are not marked very well on the maps. Most of the time you cannot tell it from the hex or slope color but have to read the small text, and its contrast is terrible especially on the neoprene maps.
@@nyandyn yep, it’s actually not overly complex, but especially as a new players you’re taking in so much information that some stuff is bound to get overlooked. I like your easy way of putting it, will have to keep that in mind. The newer maps are certainly better in that regard than the old ones, but yeah, I’m puzzled by how difficult the neoprene mats are to read.
@@benparker2522thanks! It’s the sort of video I wish I would’ve seen when I was starting. It looks like there are a couple of great videos on TH-cam that do explain this stuff but I never came across them back then.
Great rule video! I have a question however for a special case: vindicator stands adjacent to a level2. The Adder stands on the same level2 cliff. The hill should be a deadzone, as adjacent, but there is no hex between the mechs. Deadzone, or not?
@@hajrakoros great question that I didn’t think about at all! It’s answered by the following rule: ”Adjacent Ground Units: Units in adjacent hexes always have LOS to each other, unless one unit is completely underwater and a unit in an adjacent hex is not (see Terrain Modifiers, p. 108). Likewise, if both units are in adjacent building hexes but at different levels, LOS may not exist (see Combat Within Buildings, p. 175).” (Total Warfare, page 99)
Could this translate to Alpha Strike? 1 inch away would equal adjacent. I think the woods is a bit different in alpha strike I think it says they are 3 inch’s tall (3 levels) depending on what type of trees.
@@ROTTYNAUT it translates exactly to hexmap AS! To answer your actual question, RAW miniature terrain AS does work on the same fundamentals as BattleTech so yeah, it basically applies. Just look out for any differences that are caused by the physical terrain, like the height of hills and woods.
Good video, and very clear...nicely done! One minor correction though - on the second to last example, the Vindicator would actually get +2 (+1 for the Woods, and +1 for partial cover)
Thanks for the refresher! I'd actually forgotten the "downhill" rule for partial cover.
Good to know I actually understood the rules correctly. BT rules can be complicated sometimes, and I've only been using the AGOAC rules for now. Thanks for making this.
@@elithradril the AGOAC rulebook has basically every rule you need for full games of BT presented nicely. I’m just using TW for these because it’s supposed to be the ”real” rulebook, everything I talk about here is in the AGOAC book.
the book that comes with, a game of armored combat, has a page showing examples of LoS, and asks you to figure them out, but fails to give you the answers, so you just have to assume you are correct
so this video was very helpful
I really appreciate your rules clarification videos, keep up the good work work
@@joelaugustin6407 thanks!
Thanks for this video! I just picked up the AGOAC box at my local game store (for 50% off) and I got the alpha strike box on sale, but I like the idea of playing alpha strike on the hex maps and this was a great way for me to wrap my head around LOS.
this is a very good and reasonably comprehensive video. Within the scope of the video the only thing that I would have added would be examples of partial cover/woods for mechs against vehicles/infantry that are on 1 level higher than the elevation the mech is standing on. The mech would still get partial cover because while the vehicle/infantry is on ground 1 level higher it is still at "head" height of the mech therefore partial cover or woods still apply.
A video about LOS near or on the edge of terrain would be a good companion piece to this one.
The rules are really straightforward, it's just that Total War is a terrible rulebook. The easy version is "calculate line of sight as if both units were on the higher elevation, but use the lower unit's elevation when calculating obstacles in hexes around it"
Another issue is that elevations are not marked very well on the maps. Most of the time you cannot tell it from the hex or slope color but have to read the small text, and its contrast is terrible especially on the neoprene maps.
@@nyandyn yep, it’s actually not overly complex, but especially as a new players you’re taking in so much information that some stuff is bound to get overlooked. I like your easy way of putting it, will have to keep that in mind.
The newer maps are certainly better in that regard than the old ones, but yeah, I’m puzzled by how difficult the neoprene mats are to read.
Nice and clear explanation, if I'm trying to introduce someone to the game I'll have to keep this video in mind
@@benparker2522thanks! It’s the sort of video I wish I would’ve seen when I was starting. It looks like there are a couple of great videos on TH-cam that do explain this stuff but I never came across them back then.
Excellent video!
To see or not to see, that is the question 🔭
@@onerosarmakat4456 I thought the question is how much the fish is 🤔
Nice and concise!
Great rule video!
I have a question however for a special case: vindicator stands adjacent to a level2. The Adder stands on the same level2 cliff. The hill should be a deadzone, as adjacent, but there is no hex between the mechs. Deadzone, or not?
@@hajrakoros great question that I didn’t think about at all! It’s answered by the following rule: ”Adjacent Ground Units: Units in adjacent hexes always have LOS to each other, unless one unit is completely underwater and a unit in an adjacent hex is not (see Terrain Modifiers, p. 108). Likewise, if both units are in adjacent building hexes but at different levels, LOS may not exist (see Combat Within Buildings, p. 175).” (Total Warfare, page 99)
@@almostgoodvariant Thanks for the help!
Could this translate to Alpha Strike? 1 inch away would equal adjacent.
I think the woods is a bit different in alpha strike I think it says they are 3 inch’s tall (3 levels) depending on what type of trees.
@@ROTTYNAUT it translates exactly to hexmap AS!
To answer your actual question, RAW miniature terrain AS does work on the same fundamentals as BattleTech so yeah, it basically applies. Just look out for any differences that are caused by the physical terrain, like the height of hills and woods.
Good video, and very clear...nicely done! One minor correction though - on the second to last example, the Vindicator would actually get +2 (+1 for the Woods, and +1 for partial cover)
No, the Adder’s higher level negates the partial cover. Should have mentioned that in the video!
@@almostgoodvariant Ahh, right...my bad. See this video really is helpful! Good one.
FLOSS